Welcome to my blog, the story of my continuing journey into the World of Zombie Wargames.

Monday 26 January 2015

Dead...The Series

Dead Spring
Over the Holiday period I picked up volume nine "Dead Spring" in the Dead series by TW Brown and of course I wasn't disappointed with the content.
The most striking thing about this volume in the Dead series was that it occurs several years after the end of the previous book "Dead: Darkness before Dawn"
Darkness before Dawn
The first nine volumes of the series follow on chronologically from one another and follow the trials and tribulations of several 'main' characters, none of whom are the spectacular 'superheroes' that I've come to half expect in previous zombie novels that I've read. They do of course become more proficient in dealing with the aftermath of the apocalypse to varying degrees and have many pitfalls along the way.



The Dead series, Volumes 1,2 and 3
Whilst there are many similarities between this series and others that I have read (inevitably I suppose given the initial premise of a zombie apocalypse) this series does set itself apart from others of a similar ilk.
The diversity of the main characters and the fact that you're following several different story lines adds, rather than detracts from the enjoyment of reading their stories.
Dead, volumes, 4,5,6 and 7
Initially, whilst reading through the first three volumes I wondered if any of the , main story line characters (there are three or four of them, depending whom you think are 'main') would ever meet up, as I've seen done in other books. So far this hasn't been the case, but hardly surprising given the vast distances covered by the stories.
The story-lines are, from my point of view, very believable, if a little graphic, especially in the earlier books - but maybe I've become inured to it by the later books as I haven't noticed it so much.
Along with the main story lines there are a number of  'vignettes', story-lines which are dipped into from time to time, but offer glimpses into how the apocalypse is tackled elsewhere.
These 'vignettes' are maybe not to everyone's tastes as they do detract from the 'main' stories but they also give a little extra breathing space to the page turning action of the other plot-lines.




There hasn't been a single volume that has been disappointing nor one that didn't contain some surprise or shock in a storyline, the last volume I read, "Spring", being no exception.
The whole series reminds me of "Game of Thrones", you get to know and love a character, then they're gone ! The death are quite a shock whether they're killed by their own incompetence, at the hands of others or by the ever-present zombies.
I found it quite difficult to get through the first few chapters of Volume one ("Dead: The Ugly Beginning"), but once I was used to the style of writing I couldn't put the book down.
With regard to the latter statement, I should add that I really should have said "put my Kindle" down as all my books are in e-book form.
The books are all available from Amazon, in Kindle form, they vary in price from about 99p somewhere around £3.50 for the latest tomes. However the better way to purchase these is of course in sets, volumes 1 to 3 are in DEAD-Box-Set 1 also for the princely sum of 99p ! (so don't go buying just volume one, buy the first three for the same price !).
I've also purchase T.W. Brown's Zomblog series of books (again bought in sets). There are two series, each of three books and if, like me you like the "Dead..." series then you'll also enjoy these.
No doubt I'll be writing about these too in a future blog post.






 Other than reading T.W.Brown's latest Dead volume in the series I've also managed to fit a couple of zombie games in, nothing spectacular but here's a couple of photos from the pre-game set-up (an excuse to use my recently completed and detailed yards):
Perdition, East-Side slums from the South -East

as above, bu from the North-West.


That's it then for another week except to welcome my latest follower "Chris" for whom I can't find a blog and as always to say that your comments are both welcomed and appreciated.




34 comments:

  1. I am so green with envy as to your table Joe. It simply looks amazing. Many thanks for the heads up Ref the novels too. I'll be giving them a look.

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    1. Thanks Blax, it's taken quite a while to get to this stage.
      I'm sure if you give the Dead series a try you won't be disappointed.

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  2. Sounds like a series worth reading! I'll have to give them a go, my zombie-lit reading has been very little of late.
    The yards look very good in situ on your table, great job.
    All hail Zabadak, King of Coffee Stirrers.

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    1. Thanks Bob, I've thoroughly enjoyed the Dead series, character looses and all.
      Thanks for the yards comment too, I'll maybe show a few close-ups of them in the future

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  3. Well Joe I don't do new years resolutions but if I did I would resolve to get a table like that one. It looks superb!

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    1. Haha Clint, I don't do resolutions either, I've now just about got what I wanted when I started out - now only if I had a slightly bigger table....

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  4. This is something new on me, will certainly have to have a look.

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    1. As zombie literature goes I think it's well up with the best there is and few if any typos editoing erors etc that is so common-place in a lot of them that I've read

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  5. Happy that you like the book :)
    And the game board looks impressive.

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    1. Thanks HW, I'm already planning to get the next in the series too !
      The board does need more, smaller, bits to finish it off.

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  6. I have never read a zombie novel but maybe it's time to try and at that price it's certainly not too much of a gamble!
    What a great table Zabadak! Those tall buildings really give a sense of a town centre, more than I've seen in most game boards. truly impressive!

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    1. Thanks CW, before my first zombie novel (Feed by Mira Grant - top notch too), I doubt I had read more than a handful of non-fiction books in the last twenty or so years.

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  7. Hmm, I hadn't heard of this series before. If I didn't already have 40 or 50 books in my "to read" pile then I might be tempted!

    That's an astonishing town setup! I think that you might need a periscope to find any figures that are at street level, though :-) .

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    1. I did mention the series quite a while back, early last year, but for the price I doubt you can go wrong.
      The town has only one inaccessible edge so lines of sight aren't really that much of a problem, but I will keep a look out for a periscope, it really is a good idea.

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  8. Great looking table. You need a godzilla or some super hero action on that board. Shall have to check out this zombie series first time I've heard of it.

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    1. Thanks Brummie, but I think a Godzilla figure would be my size; I've never contemplated super-hero action, but I'm sure this set-up would be suitable.
      I'd be surprised if anyone doesn't get something from these books, if they can bear with the first few chapters of the first.

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  9. I've added this series of books to my reading list. Thanks for the review, Joe.

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  10. More books to read! Not bad, thank you Joe.

    Perdition is coming together quite well. Really looking good. Hoping the games went well.

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    1. Thanks LS, yes, I can truly say I have the slum area sorted out !
      The games were interesting and I have another booked this week !

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  11. Perdition is looking very imposing, I love it! It's great knowing that there are all sorts of little details and quirky touches in there too. Does it have a hotel? I'm tempted to come for a holiday, but I'll make sure to bring my chainsaw! :-)

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    1. Thanks Paul, the first card building I made was a hotel (though it was terrible), I think I'll be using the large building from last week and my next one as Hotel substitutes.

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  12. You have already been commenting on my blog- Outbreak!

    I will have to have a look for these, never a bad thing to have more in the reading queue...

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    1. Thanks Chris and yes I had realised after I 'd posted - Duh !
      I think everyone has more on their reading list that they'll ever get around to reading !

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  13. The books 'DEAD the series' sound like something I should try, I have been wondering what book I can get into..... hmmm

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    1. The Dead Series are a good option, just for the price alone of the first three book set.

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  14. Ha - aren't we people funny. We always complain about the good guys making it to the end in movies, and if they die nobody likes the story!

    Great set-up, the city seems suitably claustrophobic!

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    1. I like the heroes having a hard time in these books, but when one dies it's still an unexpected shock !

      Thanks for the set-up comment it's what I was aiming for in the 'slum' area.

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  15. The back yards make the buildings look great.

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    1. Thanks BC, I think that the backyards were well worth the effort to make and help fill the city environment.

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  16. Love the buildings Joe, and you'll be pleased to hear, I've downloaded the books as well!!!!

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    1. Thanks Ray, hope you enjoy the books as much as I did.

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    2. I'm on book two already, can't put the bloody thing down!!!

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    3. Great to hear Ray - spread the word !
      (I read book 10 in two sittings !)

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